Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader – First Impressions
We sat down with Owlcat Games and got a look at the upcoming Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. It’s what you think it is in all the right ways.
So full disclosure Owlcat Games flew me out to San Francisco for an early look at Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. While the covered my flight and room this isn’t a sponsored by them. Although I do feel a little obligated to write a review about the game, to be perfectly honest, this was going to be one that I picked up and played on my own. Why? Because this game is exactly what I would want in a Rogue Trader CRPG. It checks all the right boxes for me and scratches an itch that I can’t quite pick-at with other games. So the fact that I got to see it early and got a free (albeit brief) trip to San Francisco was really just a cherry on top. Also, some of the images in this post will be from Owlcat, those will be labeled as such. Now, let’s get into it, shall we?
Oh actually one last housekeeping thing. The Beta is out TODAY. If you want to get access you can pre-order the game and get access early. There’s various digital packs you can purchase as well as the Collector’s Edition.
The Collector’s Edition is kinda nuts and comes with a ton of cool extras including an awesome Cassia Figurine that’s roughly 20cm tall. So…yeah, it’s $299 but I can see why.
We will also be doing some giveaways for Beta Keys very soon so stay tuned to our Social Media for that. Okay, now that all that stuff is out of the way let’s get into it for real this time.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader First Impressions
I met with Nikita Putilin the PR Director at Owlcat and he had everything set-up with the game. He basically had the review build on his laptop and connected it to a TV so I would be able to watch. Separately from that, I’ve also gotten some sit-down time on my own PC at home to play it. I’m looking forward to more game time with the Beta out now but more on that in a bit. Nikita took me though the character customization and what I’d call the prologue of the game. I won’t get into story points but minor spoilers ahead.
This is the character I created at home for testing
Why Rogue Trader?
One of the questions I had was “out of all the Games Workshop IP why Rogue Trader?” The short answer is because it’s perfect for the type of game that Owlcat wants to make. This is a CRPG — a Computer Role Playing Game — at its core. What does that mean? Well, while the game will be coming to consoles, it’s really built as a love letter to a specific genre of RPG: Old School Computer RPGs. Think your Fallouts (specifically 1 and 2) and Baldur’s Gates (also 1 and 2). It’s that isometric, top-down RPG style with loads of dialogue to read and choose from.
Another Screenshot I took from the earliest part of the game — look, even the dialogue options feel nostalgic!
Rogue Traders are the perfect protagonists for this type of game. You get a Void Ship so you can explore lots of different places (including some Drukhari cities). You also have the freedom to interact and even trade with other Xenos races. Plus you can recruit a wide array of characters to your cause. It’s a great pairing.
Psykers, Guardsmen, Space Wolves, Sisters, and …an Aeldari? Oh my!
How About The Combat?
Combat-wise (and there’s LOTS of combat) it’s more X-COM style with a square grid and a movement/action point system for your party. You’ve got some basic attacks based on the weapons you have. And yes, you do have to reload your guns if you run out of ammo. It’s a pretty simple system and if you played any X-COM game or even the more recent Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate: Daemonhunters (also a great game) then you’ll be right at home. It’s not the exact same but it’s close enough.
Screenshot Provided by Owlcat Games
Like I said, it’s checking all the right boxes so far! That’s kind of what I’d expect from Owlcat, the same company that did Pathfinder: Kingmaker. It’s turn-based instead of real time combat but that’s a trade off I appreciate in this type of a tactical game with loads of ways to kill your foes.
Also, without getting to far into the weeds of combat, you can really customize your crew’s combat prowess. You can build characters to become experts at a particular style of combat (ranged vs melee as an example). You can even mix in support options to boost your combat monkey characters, too. Or go for a mix. You’ve got a lot of play and different styles to play with for your part. From what I saw, it’s a good system.
Screenshot provided by Owlcat Games
There’s even a Spaceship Combat which I haven’t gotten to do yet but I’m looking forward to it. I didn’t get as much play time as I would have liked but, as mentioned, there’s a lot to do in the game. I’ve barely scratched the surface so far and this is a DEEP game to dive into.
As a fan of those Old School RPGs, X-COM, and Warhammer 40,000 I feel like this game was made specifically for me. I feel so seen right now. And it’s not a short game by any means. Nikita said the game is going to be 100-200 hours of campaign to do. I’m sure some of that could be slimmed down if you’re just trying to get done. But I could absolutely see the game taking that much time if you’re willing to put it in. With the leveling up and exploration involved…yeah, it’s a big, chonky game.
What If I’m New To Warhammer 40,000?
There’s lots of ways to ease into this game’s lore. One of the features that I appreciate as a lore-junkie is the built in links in the dialogue. You can click on a highlighted word and then open up an expanded explanation of the word. And you can even open up the in game encyclopedia.
Lore-junkies get your fix here!
What’s really cool about this is that to start there’s a ton of entries to read and it will basically be a primer on the in-game universe as your character would know it. There’s all the keywords in there and details to chew on. However, as you explore and learn new things the entries can update. So it won’t spoil anything you shouldn’t know but it’s an excellent foundation to start for new players.
What About The Difficulty?
With a game as massive as Rogue Trader is you’ve got some players who are just going to want to do the story while others might want a REAL challenge. The good news is that this game supports both and you can actually slide between whatever style you want as you play.
Want a real challenge? Slide the difficulty up. Want to just breeze through to get to the story? Slide it back a down and slaughter everyone with relative ease. Or mix it up depending on how you’re feeling that play session. I think this is a great option for all types of players. That said you’re not a measly Guardsmen here…you’re a freaking Rogue Trader who has a Space Wolf and an Adepta Sororitas on your side (along with a bunch of other awesome crew) — you’re a BADASS. And you’ll feel like it in combat.
Screenshot provided by Owlcat Games
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader is going to be a good game to snag. And Owlcat isn’t done. That’s why the beta is happening. They want your feedback! They want people who want this type of game to play it and let them know if they are on the right track. They aren’t afraid to do overhauls in the systems and rework things but they need your help to identify those pain-points. For me, the biggest issue I have right now is time. This game is BIG and it’s frankly a little intimidating to get into. I know that it’s going to suck me in and I don’t know when I’ll come up for air. It’s doing everything right for this style of game within this setting and if that’s a “problem” then it’s a good one to have.
Again, the beta is happening now. If you want to get in immediately you can pre-order. I will say that while the game isn’t “done” it’s still pretty darn good so far. Before you start playing you might want to finish up any hobby projects that have been lingering and let your family know you might be busy for a bit…Rogue Trader is calling!
In the grim darkness of the far future there is only war. And trading. Lots of Rogue Trader-ing.
